yellow-footed rock-wallaby recovery appeal

The beautiful Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby (Petrogale xanthopus xanthopus), has been proudly featured as the highlight of the Nature Foundation SA logo since 1981, and is symbolic of both the vulnerability of nature, and our mission to save, protect and restore it.

The western-most colony of the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby (YFRW), which resides in the isolated rocky hills and granite outcrops of Mt Friday at Hiltaba Nature Reserve, is the focus of our spring appeal.

At the time of purchase, YFRW numbers at Hiltaba were known to be extremely low. With your support, Nature Foundation SA implemented intensive goat and fox control around Mt Friday, in partnership with DEW. Recent monitoring through camera traps has revealed encouraging signs of population growth; however, we need to do more work including mark/recapture wallaby trapping, and using technology such as radio-collaring.

Nature Foundation SA’s spring appeal will raise funds to implement an intensive YFRW recovery program at Hiltaba Nature Reserve to reduce the impact of threatening processes, secure a viable population and monitor the change in the population over time. Specifically, funds will be used to:

Quantify and monitor the size and viability of the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby population at Mt Friday in Hiltaba.

Monitor total grazing pressure and the impact of other herbivores on available food resources and vegetation condition.

Secure a viable population of Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies by:

reducing the impact of feral predators like foxes and cats, and

reducing total grazing pressure by managing herbivores such as goats.

Maintain accurate records in the project database for reporting purposes.

Like many other arid zone mammals, YFRW populations can fluctuate greatly depending on seasonal conditions, with marked increases after good rainfall events and declines during drought. They are more sensitive to the influence of drought than larger kangaroo species, due to their smaller home range and specialised habitat requirements.

Your donation will help ensure that Hiltaba Nature Reserve provides a safe habitat for the YFRW colony; and that current and future generations can share in the delight of watching these wallabies flourish and increase in numbers.

Please donate today, and thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to help conserve South Australia’s unique biodiversity for future generations to enjoy.